- News>
- Newspapers
Pakistan struggles to control Internet porn: Hindustan Times
Karachi, May 11: Internet pornography has assumed alarming proportions across Pakistan, with the authorities struggling to control the scourge despite blocking access to over 1,800 websites during the last three months..
Karachi, May 11: Internet pornography has assumed alarming proportions across Pakistan, with the authorities struggling to control the scourge despite blocking access to over 1,800 websites during the last three months..
This is because some Internet service providers (ISPs) are able to bypass official channels to gain access to international bandwidth -- as the country`s telecom regulator is not doing its job, The News reported.
State-owned Pakistan Telecommunications Limited (PTCL), which ordered the websites to be blocked, says it is for the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to enforce the ban and accused the regulator of soft-pedaling.
The Ministry of IT and Telecommunications had in February ordered PTCL to block salacious websites from Internet browsers but this "appears to be an exercise in futility", the paper said.
It said "thousands of browsers across the country" could still access scores of sleazy websites "readily being offered by some wavering" ISPs.
According to the newspaper, four "hi-fi" ISPs were "offering subscribers easy access to porn websites" in spite of the PTCL campaign.
"All these ISPs have IPLC (International Private Link Circuit). It means they are not totally dependent on PTCL for bandwidth as they have an alternate international bandwidth available," The News quoted PTCL`s member (operations), Zahir Muhammad Khan as saying.
"The IPLC facilitates all the four ISPs to continue their services without any disruption. Therefore, the campaign of blocking seedy sites does not affect their services."
Between them, the four ISPs have 10,000 subscribers across the country. The number of people who get access to the Net through these ISPs is much greater as multiple users can browse from each connection.
Muhammad Kashif, who runs an Internet cafe in the city and subscribes to one of these ISPs, says his customers can easily access whatever they want.
"I read in the newspaper that sites are blocked. However, neither my customers nor I experienced any blockage," Kashif told The News.
PTCL says it is not its job to stop these ISPs from offering banned websites. "Our task is just to block such websites according to the ministry`s directives. It`s now up to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority to restrict them as the PTA is the regulator," Khan said.
"But the telecom regulator has neither taken any action against such ISPs nor issued a single directive ordering them to block such sites," News said.
"We have not been approached by PTA. We are offering uninterrupted service to our customers," argues the head of one of the four ISPs.
This is because some Internet service providers (ISPs) are able to bypass official channels to gain access to international bandwidth -- as the country`s telecom regulator is not doing its job, The News reported.
State-owned Pakistan Telecommunications Limited (PTCL), which ordered the websites to be blocked, says it is for the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to enforce the ban and accused the regulator of soft-pedaling.
The Ministry of IT and Telecommunications had in February ordered PTCL to block salacious websites from Internet browsers but this "appears to be an exercise in futility", the paper said.
It said "thousands of browsers across the country" could still access scores of sleazy websites "readily being offered by some wavering" ISPs.
According to the newspaper, four "hi-fi" ISPs were "offering subscribers easy access to porn websites" in spite of the PTCL campaign.
"All these ISPs have IPLC (International Private Link Circuit). It means they are not totally dependent on PTCL for bandwidth as they have an alternate international bandwidth available," The News quoted PTCL`s member (operations), Zahir Muhammad Khan as saying.
"The IPLC facilitates all the four ISPs to continue their services without any disruption. Therefore, the campaign of blocking seedy sites does not affect their services."
Between them, the four ISPs have 10,000 subscribers across the country. The number of people who get access to the Net through these ISPs is much greater as multiple users can browse from each connection.
Muhammad Kashif, who runs an Internet cafe in the city and subscribes to one of these ISPs, says his customers can easily access whatever they want.
"I read in the newspaper that sites are blocked. However, neither my customers nor I experienced any blockage," Kashif told The News.
PTCL says it is not its job to stop these ISPs from offering banned websites. "Our task is just to block such websites according to the ministry`s directives. It`s now up to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority to restrict them as the PTA is the regulator," Khan said.
"But the telecom regulator has neither taken any action against such ISPs nor issued a single directive ordering them to block such sites," News said.
"We have not been approached by PTA. We are offering uninterrupted service to our customers," argues the head of one of the four ISPs.